BUY THE SELFHACKED BOOK

BUY THE SELFHACKED BOOK

TMAO (trimethylamine N-oxide) is produced by gut bacteria from choline, lecithin, and L-carnitine-rich foods (mainly fish, meat, egg, and dairy). High levels are associated with heart disease, hardening of the arteries, diabetes, and colon cancer. However, the role of TMAO in these diseases is still controversial. Read more to find out how TMAO levels may affect your health and what you can do to reduce them.

TMAO is not what your doctor would usually test, even though it can tell you a lot about your health. However, you can request it from your doctor and plug your test results intoLab Test Analyzer. You will find all the information you need about your TMAO values, such as if your levels are optimal. And if they are not, it will tell you how to get there, using evidence-based lifestyle, diet, and supplement tips.

TMAO Blood Test

Why Is High TMAO Bad?

1) High TMAO Increases Heart Disease Risk

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5127123/

In a meta-analysis of 19 studies with 19,256 subjects, high TMAO levels were associated with an increased risk of heart diseases, such as heart failure and stroke. Furthermore, people with high levels of TMAO sources, like L-carnitine and choline, were 1.4 times more likely to suffer from heart failure, stroke, or other heart diseases [R].

In another meta-analysis of 11 studies with 7716 subjects, those with elevated levels of this compound had a 23% higher risk of heart diseases and a 55% higher risk of dying (from all causes) [R].

According to a study of 80,978 women and 39,434 men, higher intake of dietary phosphatidylcholine (source of TMAO) resulted in a higher all-cause death risk, especially among diabetics [R].

High TMAO levels increased the risk of blood clots, heart attack, and stroke in over 4,000 subjects [R].

Similarly, high levels of this compound were associated with increased mortality in 720 patients with heart failure [R].

In rats, TMAO increases with age and causes oxidative stress and inflammation in blood vessels, leading to endothelial (blood vessel lining) dysfunction, which increases the risk of heart disease [R].

2) High TMAO May Cause Hardening of the Arteries

High levels of TMAO were associated with increased cIMT (carotid intima-media thickness), an early marker for hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis), in 220 patients irrespective of other factors, such as insulin resistance, obesity, and fatty liver [R].

Elevated levels of this compound were also associated with higher risk of hardening of the arteries in 220 subjects with chronic kidney disease [R].

Dietary TMAO, L-carnitine, and choline increased the hardening of the arteries in atherosclerosis-prone mice. The effect was blocked by antibiotics, which decreased the activity of gut bacteria [R, R].

3) High TMAO Is Associated with Diabetes

In 2,977 participants, high TMAO levels were associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes [R, R].

Of 191 heart disease patients, those with high TMAO were more likely to have diabetes [R].

Modifying TMAO Levels

Everyone is different and our bodies can be complex. If you want to increase/decrease your TMAO levels, it’s best to analyze them with Lab Test Analyzer. This tool will compute, based on this and your other results, the best steps you can take that will bring you back to optimal.

These Increase TMAO Levels

1) Animal Products

Eggs, red meat, dairy products, and fish are rich in choline, carnitine, and lecithin, which then get converted to TMAO by gut bacteria [R].

7) Pregnancy

These Decrease TMAO levels

1) Vegetarian/Vegan/Mediterranean Diet

Among 74 subjects given L-carnitine, meat eaters had greater increases in TMAO levels compared to vegans or vegetarians. This means that vegans and vegetarians have gut bacteria that produce less TMAO [R].

Among 153 people, vegetarians, vegans, and those who adhered to a Mediterranean diet (rich in fruit, legumes, and vegetables) had lower TMAO levels [R].

2) Prebiotics and Potential Probiotics

Probiotics are bacteria that, when digested, have beneficial effects. Prebiotics are plant fibers, which act as fertilizers for the growth of the good bacteria in the gut.

Genes Related to TMAO Levels

FMO3 is a liver enzyme that transforms TMA into TMAO. People with mutations in FMO3 cannot convert TMA to TMAO. They accumulate TMA, which has a specific odor, and develop fish-odor syndrome (trimethylaminuria) [R].

Irregular TMAO Levels?

If you have not yet tested your TMAO levels, I recommend that you ask your doctor to do it. If you already have your blood test results and you’re not sure what to make of them, you need to check out Lab Test Analyzer. It does all the heavy lifting for you. No need to do thousands of hours of research on what to make of your various blood tests.

People don’t realize that their blood test results contain a gold mine of information that’s waiting to be unearthed. Unfortunately, not everyone has the time or the inclination to sift through dozens of research papers.

It’s super-simple, so that even if you don’t have any background in science, you will understand what your results mean and what you can do to get them in the optimal range.

Lab Test Analyzer gives you up-to-date scientific information about your lab results. In addition, you will get both lifestyle tips and natural solutions to help you optimize your health. You can also rely on our science-based Optimal Ranges to prevent potential health issues and maximize your overall well-being.

All of the content is backed by science and researched by a team of PhDs, professors, and scientists.

We’re all unique, so we deserve solutions that treat us that way.

FDA Compliance

The information on this website has not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration or any other medical body. We do not aim to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any illness or disease. Information is shared for educational purposes only. You must consult your doctor before acting on any content on this website, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition.

HOW WOULD YOU RATE THIS ARTICLE?

(23 votes, average: 4.57 out of 5)

Loading...

Why did you dislike this article?

Science is not accurate

Not interesting

Not what I was looking for

Not written well

Not thorough

Grammar / Spelling

Too difficult to understand

Titles / Headings are misleading

Other

SHARE

0

TWEET

1

JOE COHEN

CEO, SelfHacked

About Joe

Growing up, Joe was plagued with a myriad of health issues such as gut problems, autoimmune issues, chronic fatigue, brain fog, insomnia, and general inflammation. Both conventional and alternative doctors weren’t able to help him, so he decided to fix himself. With lots of health questions and few satisfying answers, Joe decided to read every research paper he could get his hands on and conduct thousands of experiments on his own body in order to fix his health issues. Joe started SelfHacked in late 2013 when he successfully fixed all of his issues, and now it gets millions of readers a month looking to educate themselves about how they can improve their health. Joe is now a thriving author, speaker, and serial entrepreneur, founding SelfDecode & LabTestAnalyzer.

RELATED ARTICLES

Traditionally referred to as “the elixir of life”, Celastrus paniculatus is used in Ayurvedic medicine to enhance mental function and promote longevity. With no human studies available, its health effects remain elusive. Keep reading to learn more about the possible uses and benefits of this plant along with side effects.

Traditionally referred to as “the elixir of life”, Celastrus paniculatus is used in Ayurvedic medicine to enhance mental function and promote longevity. With no human studies available, its health effects remain elusive. Keep reading to learn more about the possible uses and benefits of this plant along with side effects.

Native Americans cherished and used the bark of slippery elm for thousands of years in traditional medicine. It was taken to relieve sore throats, stomach and bowel inflammation, to heal wounds, urinary tract infections, and even cancer. Read on to find out if you should be using slippery elm, especially if you have IBS or […]

Native Americans cherished and used the bark of slippery elm for thousands of years in traditional medicine. It was taken to relieve sore throats, stomach and bowel inflammation, to heal wounds, urinary tract infections, and even cancer. Read on to find out if you should be using slippery elm, especially if you have IBS or […]

Amylase is an enzyme that helped our ancestors adapt to digesting complex carbs. Low levels have been linked to insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, obesity, and diabetes. High amylase can be due to issues with the salivary glands or the pancreas, which produce this enzyme. Interestingly, your amylase genes can tell if you do better on […]

Amylase is an enzyme that helped our ancestors adapt to digesting complex carbs. Low levels have been linked to insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, obesity, and diabetes. High amylase can be due to issues with the salivary glands or the pancreas, which produce this enzyme. Interestingly, your amylase genes can tell if you do better on […]

INTERESTED IN GOING DEEPER? CHECK OUT SELFDECODE

INTERESTED IN GOING DEEPER? CHECK OUT SELFDECODE

If you have 30 seconds to spare, Please let us know in the box below what issues you had with this article, we work hard to ensure all our articles are of the highest quality and your feedback is highly valued!